Girl's Night Out
by Jaeger Gipsy Danger
Summary: The girls of the Tower have been working hard, now it's time for a break and some fun. There's mention of four-letter words, alcohol, drinking, racism and flirting.
1. Ladies Night Out Chapter 1

TITLE: Girl's Night Out

CHAPTER: 1

* * *

"You know when I feel inwardly beautiful? When I am with my girlfriends and we are having a 'goddess circle'." -Jennifer Aniston

* * *

Except for the patter of rain and the distant sound of thunder, the Tower Square is quiet. Without the usual breeze snapping the banners around and the continual engine noise from the ships landing and taking off the Tower Square is unusually deserted. The postal clerk leaned forward to look around and logically concluded the storm had driven the Guardians inside. Humming happily to herself Kadi 55-30 opened a private comm channel.

"Done, done, done!"

Tess Everis responded first, her accented voice rising with excitement, "Let's go, ladies!"

"Who's turn is it to pick up Eris?" Ikora Rey asked. "It's someone else's turn. Took me thirty minutes to talk her off the ledge last time. I missed the stripper."

"One of y'all get'er. It's too far to walk from here. I'll go down and get us a table," Amanda Halliday responded. "'Sides I got to wash this engine oil off my hands."

"Make sure it's near the stage and the jukebox!" Ikora shouted her usual decorum slipping by an octave or two.

"Yeah, yeah, Ik. I won't forget."

Eva sighed loud enough for them to hear, "I'll get Eris. But I will not listen to any more of that, 'when they took my eyes' horror."

"Why're we even inviting her?" Amanda asked, her strident voice cutting through the chatter. "She never has a good time and doesn't drink. Closes her eyes when the stripper comes out and can't talk about anything but Crota. She's worse than the Guardians. It's always, Crota's sword, soul, minions and I don't remember what else. Probably something about Crota's dick, too."

Eva clucked like a hen. Not that any of them had ever seen or heard a chicken. All the same, it sounded like a scold all the same, and they quieted.

"It does her good to off that ledge and second, I doubt very much of Eris remembers anything about dicks."

"Or what they're used for." Amanda piped up then her voice broke up as she began laughing. "that must be why they have sword bearers. To carry Crota's… You get it, right?"

No one laughed.

"I'm closing my shop, and I'm buying, so hurry up," Tess replied, interrupting their usual chatter. Not that she had anything against Eris. She was an odd little thing though. Although they were all tired of her stories, they always invited her to come along. You couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her.

Tess waived to Eva when she saw her walking toward Eris and turned left to go downstairs. She wanted to drink, dance with someone handsome and have a good time. Tonight she'd be pickier about who she accepted a drink from though. That last Hunter had been good looking, but all he could talk about what the merits of Blade Dancer, versus Gunslinger. And one more word about Gjallarhorn. Guys were sure funny about their weapons.

Kadi joined her at the top of the stairs. "Hallo Kadi. How was business today?"

"Rude, rude, rude," was all she managed before clattering down the stairs ahead of the Awoken female.

Tess flipped her purple scarf back over her shoulder and skipped down the stairs after her.

Above on the Plaza's ledge, Eva approached Eris slowly and for good reason. When the woman had that green orb in her hands and arms raised to the sky…Well, not even the Guardians would approach her. Usually, the crazier Eris acted the crazier the bounty mission.

"Eris? The other women are headed to the bar and we want you to join us."

Eris slowly lowered her head and turned her sightless eyes to Eva. "Leave? Until we find Crota, we are all just…"

"...water racing down the drain, I know. But not tonight. Crota is taking a break this evening. Look around." Damn, that was rude, and Eva Lavonte was never rude. She stopped herself and changed her tone. "The Guardians are all inside. Come on, let's get you out of this weather."

With a skeptical gaze around the Plaza, Eris finally relented and began walking carefully toward Eva.

"Eris, you know they won't let you take that thing in the bar."

"But, it's…"

"Put it away. That green orb is a thrill kill. You know how those Guardians are. The drunker they get, the more paranoid they are about any kind sort of green light."

"But if they wish to discuss, Crota?"

Eva linked her arms with Eris. "They won't and we won't bring it up. Now let's go." Eris finally tucked the orb away and with a gentle tug, Eva got the strange woman to follow her downstairs to the bar.

They made their way to the lower lounge by following the loud music. Someone was already feeding money into the new jukebox, and several Guardians were up dancing. Eva noticed Kadi climbing onto the bar. That robot loved to dance. The strange thing was the robot actually knew how to dance and right now she was shaking her brass booty for all she was worth. But when one of the customers tossed money at her, Eva had seen enough. Eva led Eris by the bar and picked up her usual shot of tequila.

"Kadi 55-30! You get down from there right now!" _Why do I have to be the mother around here,_ Eva wondered, tossing back a shot of tequila before asking for a second and joining the others. Maybe, if she could get Eris to drink a shot.

Tess leaned back in her chair, watching the dancers, scanning for a likely partner. She remembered what Kadi said as they walked down the stairs together and leaned toward her.

"Was someone rude to you today, Kadi?"

"Always say, whenever you need me again, Guardian. They never say, 'thank you' 'How are you?' Rude, rude, rude."

All the ladies nodded in agreement. With her eyes on a well built Titan in red armor, Tess shot back, "I speak to them every time they walk past my shop. Do they stop and talk to me, ask me a question, take a moment to pass the time of day or ask me how I'm doing? No. Always more important things to do and off they go. They seem to spend a lot of time with you Eris. What's your secret?"

"I fear they laugh at me."

Ikora slid into the seat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "They don't laugh at you, honey. Not my Warlocks. Cayde's not as strict with his Hunters as I am, though. Now drink your drink. Let's have some fun."

"Yes," Eris replied with conviction. "I will have a drink."

Eva handed her a shot and the woman tossed it back without a thought. They all froze. No one had ever seen her take a drink before. Suddenly an exotically dressed Warlock stood at their table.

"Eris, will you dance with me?" The handsome man with blue eyes and black hair curling around his collar inquired with a courtly bow.

"You speak to me of dancing? When they took my eyes… when Crota stole my light..."

"Yes, I'm talking about dancing." The handsome man laughed good-naturedly and lifted her gently by the arm. "Come on, now. You need to have some fun."

No one spoke as they watched the Warlock pull Eris close and spin her carefully around the dance floor.

"Well, butter my butt an' call me a biscuit. Ain't that just the last thing y'all expected to see?"

Eva tossed back another tequila, "Daaaaaammmmmnnnnn."

While Tess watched Eris moving around the dance floor, a shadow crossed over her, blocking the lights shining from the bar.

"Hello. It's Tess, right?"

Tess turned from watching the Titan in the red armor to the masculine voice behind her.

"Would you like to dance, Tess?" An impeccably dressed Warlock in black robes asked and bowed over her hand.

He was good looking, she'd give him that. With silver-white hair pulled back from his face with a leather tie. A scar bisecting his right cheek only added to the mysterious air of the man. She felt herself relax against the possessive arm around her waist as he led her to the dance floor. Expertly weaving them in and out of the other dancers, she felt herself sinking into a mesmerizing pair of amber colored eyes. _Nice._

"I haven't seen you around here before." _Brilliant, Tess. Just brilliant_ , she cursed herself for the breathy girlish sound of her voice.

He shrugged his broad shoulders, "Been busy." Then he smiled an endearingly apologetic smile and she felt herself melt into his arms.

"I understand. You're here now though, right?"

"I am and I'm dancing with the prettiest girl in the place."

A blush stained her light blue skin and she turned her head to try and hide her sudden shyness. He chuckled and pressed her closer with a possessive hand.

"I hear it's pretty dangerous out there." _Oh, for the love of the Traveller, stop behaving like a teenager._

"Me and Gjallarhorn do just fine together."

Tess froze. _Here it comes._ _No, no, no._

"Not much we can't take down out there," he continued tugging the scarf from her head and neck. "That's better," he grinned. "Why just yesterday me and Gjallarhorn stopped those heathen monsters from waking Crota's soul. Damn fools. When are they gonna learn? I'd already destroyed that damn sword of his."

"That's very interesting, but I…?"

"The name's White Wolf, ma'am."

"Uh, Mister Wolf…"

"No need to get formal now, pretty lady."

She noticed he'd moved them to the back of the bar where stacks of crates now held them in their own private space. He stopped her by pushing her gently against the wall. After removing his gloves he braced his hands on each side of her face.

With his nose drifting over her ear he said, "This morning, I took down Crota himself. Just me, The Last Word and Gjallahorn"

"You're the last word, alright," her voice dripping with undisguised sarcasm. I think I'd like to join my friends now."

"Ever been out to the Reef?" Ignoring both her comment and her tone. "I could take you there. I'll let my Ghost drive and you and I can get to know each other. Got a real fancy jumpship. Real leather seats and if you're real nice to me I might get you an audience with the Queen herself."

His fingers curled into her hair and he cupped her cheek with his other hand. She stayed still while his fingers slowly moved down her neck and over her shoulders.

"Though tonight I thought you might be the one to reward me for all my hard work."

The insistent fingers moved lower.

"Oh, I think I have a reward for you, you big brave Warlock," she cooed while her knee connected to his groin. His eyes widened and to his credit he didn't scream, only closed his eyes and slid to the floor.

"Hey!" Came a shout behind her. "This blue thing just took down White Wolf. WTF, bitch?"

Tess stood her ground, she'd had enough of these arrogant Guardians. Push come to shove, she could dirty up this Titan's fancy red armor. The Titan charged toward her. "That's my partner! You'll pay for that."

"No, no, no, too expensive. Delivery aborted." The Titan found himself elevated off the ground by Kadi with her hand on his collar. His eyes widened further when Ikora Ray placed herself between Tess and the red Titan.

"I can fight my own battles, Ik."

"Well, I certainly won't watch one of my Warlocks make a damn fool out of himself."

Both women groaned and rolled their eyes when they heard a familiar voice, "Hey! What's going on down here? Heard I'm missing all the fun."

Ikora turned an impatient look on the Hunter Vanguard. "Everything's fine Cade."

Ignoring everyone and everything around him, Cade went straight to Tess. "You okay, Miss Everis?" He asked and gallantly offered his arm. "I think that Titan'll be out for awhile, may I escort you back to your table?"

"Look at me!" The triumphant shout came from Amanda, cutting through the general noise and nicely taking everyone's attention away from two Titans.

Laying on her back across the bar, while another Guardian poured beer straight down her throat. Everyone around them was counting down, "10, 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" Amanda jumped up and pumped her fist in the air.

"Beat that!" she shouted triumphantly and landed on the floor with a thump.

Ikora took a quick review, over in the corner was Kadi and the red Titan, Tess and Cayde were sitting at the table with their head's together. Now where in the hell was Eris?


	2. Ladies Night Out Chapter 2

TITLE: Girl's Night Out

CHAPTER: 2

* * *

"If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girlfriends." —Orson Welles

* * *

Ikora finished her scan of the room and resumed her seat at their table. With the bartender shouting over the music, trying to keep Kadi off the bar, all she could make out through strobe lights and pulsing music were the general shapes of gyrating people. With several Guardians cheering her on, the man's warning went unnoticed, and Kadi stubbornly continued to ignore him. She's just having too much fun. Ikora allowed herself a rare smile. These humans needed to loosen up and learn to have fun.

Squinting through the strobing gloom she noted Tess and Cayde with their heads together. She knew―everyone knew ― their relationship was often adversarial, Ikora wondered what they could have to discuss. Now where in the hell was Eris? Ikora scanned the crowd while she nursed her drink her sharp Warlock eyes missed nothing.

Although he wanted to help Tess, Cayde wasn't sure what to say. Probably better if he stayed silent while the blond Awoken attempted to bring her emotions under control. He was better at making jokes and ordering people around than comforting someone like her or anyone for that matter. Still, he decided to give it a shot.

"Hey, it'll be okay. Some of these Guardians are arrogant, but that's the first racist..." The word was so odd and strange to his ears, he couldn't even finish the sentence. Instead, he chuckled. "I always thought we were one big happy family all fighting the good fight you know?"

Tess shrugged her shoulders and flicked a tear away from her cheek.

"They respect you," she said sadly. "But they never talk to me. I always speak to them, and I'm always polite. Always running here and there, from Master Rahool to Eris or searching for Xûr. You'd think they'd ask me where he is. I always know because he always stops at my shop to say hello or most of the time he just says something creepy. Hear he's working the Reef these days, though."

"You know what I think? You're just too nice…" Cayde's icy turquoise eyes blinked. "And, I believe you're the prettiest girl on the Tower. Your hair is the color of the pale morning sun and your skin the exact shade of dawn just before the sun…"

Tess waved his words away. "Yeah, yeah, the prettiest girl on the Tower. I've already heard that tonight, so don't push it, Cayde. You don't have to say anything. I just came here to have fun, have a drink and dance or two. I'm over it and don't forget," she smirked. "I know you."

"I'm not always a smart ass, Tess. In fact, I'll prove it to you." The Exo rose gracefully from his chair, pushed his hood back and offered Tess his arm.

"Would you care to dance, my lady?"

"You know how to dance?" She asked incredulously while allowing him to lead her to the small dance floor.

He pulled her into his arms and bent his head to speak intimately against the delicate blue shell of her ear. "Pretty lady, I am a fully functional, Cayde-6 Exo Hunter and I definitely know how to dance."

~o0o~

With Eris Morn at their center, a group of Guardians sat on the stairs, hanging on to her every word while she while she wove another story of her long ago adventures.

"Tell us again how the ground cracked open when the Hive attacked your team."

"Yes, describe it again," encouraged a Hunter, with a square jaw, blue eyes, and an odd scar that interrupted the otherwise perfect symmetry of his hairline. Eris placed her hand on his head, distracted for a moment by the feel of the spiky feel of his short hair on her palm.

"We've all seen the cracks, right?" The other Guardians nodded. "But the only place we see the Hive are inside the dark caves or on the surface."

Eris looked down at her hands, "I do not know. Perhaps they'd just begun to dig their caverns and lived closer to the surface in those days."

"You should come back out and fight with us, Eris. We need your experience out there."

A chorus of yeses followed, but she turned away and held up her hand.

"My time has passed, and my light dim. This is your time now, with your light shining so bright and brave against the darkness."

"Eris? A voice behind her asked in a respectful tone. "What if you let them fix your eyes?"

She shook her head, "I remain as Crota left me to honor those who fell on the battlefields of our worlds."

A young human female, in Titan armor, spoke up, "We all honor those who came before us, Eris. You know so much of what we are just learning. Please think about it?"

Another Titan spoke up. "Seems like there're hundreds of empty rooms around here. You could us one of them for training sessions!"

A murmur of agreement swirled around Eris. The human female spoke up again, moving to sit next to Eris. "Hey, we didn't mean to upset you…"

"I-I thought you… I felt that you… laughed, at me."

A collective gasp was her answer, and her head raised in surprise. Then everyone began talking at once.

"Never!"

"Eris, we just thought you didn't want to talk."

"You always seem so serious. We just got the bounties from you and kept moving. They keep us pretty busy around here."

"We never meant any disrespect!"

Someone handed Eris another drink and reminded her she promised to finish the story. Then for the first time in as long as he could remember she felt her mouth lift in a smile. In fact, the smile seemed so strange she touched her fingers to her lips. Eris took a deep breath and decided to keep talking, "Well, we waited days for the right time to attack…"

~o0o~

The bartender threw his rag down and shouted, "Look Frame, for the last time, get off my bar!"

The music stopped. The postmistress stopped dancing and stared down at the bartender. Kadi felt a presence next to her when it reached up to touch her fingers. A slight current through her robotic hand identified him.

"I am Roni 55-30, and you will not speak to my friend in that manner. Your attitude is disrespectful and insolent."

Drinks were forgotten, Ikora and Eva rose to their feet heading toward the bar.

"I don't care about your name. We don't serve your kind in here," he sneered. You're just another one of those Frames to me. Now get out." The bartender pointed in the general direction of the exit with a dirty bar towel. Roni was not impressed.

"Your manner and use of the word Frame is condescending at best and racist at worst."

A crowd formed behind the two women. "Yes, maybe you should rephrase that comment," Eva said softly. "Come on down Kadi, I have a better idea." The look on Eva Levante's face shut the bartender's mouth with an audible snap.

"Don't want no trouble around here," the bartender said looking over the crowd suddenly very busy with wiping down the bar.

"Excellent, we are in agreement. Now, if you will pour my friends another drink, we shall forget all about this unpleasantness." Eva smiled knowingly. You see, she thought, things always go so much smoother with civilized behavior.

Someone shouted from the back of the room. "Leave them alone you old bastard!"

Suddenly the jukebox came back to life. The sudden cacophony of sound energized the entire room.

Eva ducked as a bottle smashed against the back wall. Fuck civilized behavior. No one threw things at Eva Lavonte and got away with it.

Banshee shouted from the stairs, his gravel voice breaking through the din as Guardians instinctively took a position. No one heeded his warning, which didn't stop him from wading into the group.

Cayde put his arm around Tess and led her back to the couch, "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

"Protect me?" She scoffed and spun away from Cayde, shouting into the crowd. "Which one of you bloody bogan's threw that bottle?"

A Warlock appeared in her field of vision, "I did. Make something of it?"

"Do it again and you'll be singing from the inside of that jukebox." Tess pushed up her sleeves.

"Perhaps you're uneducated in the ways of a Warlock's abilities?

Tess watched the magic fire bloom in the woman's hand. Bloody hell, she thought, curling her fingers into a fist. Before the woman could blink, Tess landed an old-fashioned right hook to the woman's jaw and watched with satisfaction as the arrogant woman dropped gracefully to her knees.

"Hey, that's my partner!"

Tess sidestepped the Hunter heading her way, downed a shot of something from the bar, and dove into the crowd. Just has her hands grabbed for the Hunter's cowl the woman crouched and disappeared. Tess stared down at the colorful yellow, orange, and red cape with the wolf's head. With nimble fingers, she tore off her purple scarf and donned the Hunter's cape.

"Hey! You didn't earn that. Take it off or maybe you need some help?"

The Awoken female tightened the cowl over her hair and waved her middle finger at the Titan. The same Titan she'd laid out on the floor, headed straight for her. Unafraid, Tess crouched low and braced herself for impact. She'd show that red son-of-bitch what she was made of. Fucking armor. Fancy fucking weapons. Fucking powers... fuck all that!

"Is it painful walking with balls that big?" Tess asked innocently.

Three steps from her, the Titan's feet left the floor and flew sideways in an electric cloud of green light.

Her surprise doubled when Eris placed a hand on her shoulder. "If I learned anything from those years, Tess Everis, it's always about teamwork. The women nodded in agreement just in time for a furious Hunter to charge.

"Give me back my cape, bitch!"

Tess went low and swiped his legs out from under him while Eris pinned him in a ball of green energy. The Hunter screamed.

"What's this, Tess laughed. "A Hunter and a Titan afraid of a little green light?"

Behind them, Roni and Kadi climbed on the bar and began an excellent rendition of the jitterbug. Someone kindly changed the music to reflect their rhythmic movements.

There's movement on the staircase again, the swish of heavy robes and the voice everyone knew, "Silence!"

The jukebox and the lights went quiet, shrouding them in just the emergency lights at the edges of the room. No one moved, spoke or exhaled.

The Speaker surveyed the room, then began to speak. "Exo, Humans, Awoken and Frames. We are the last line of defense for The Traveler, Earth, her planets. It is up to us to bring about whatever peace we may find or create to awaken the Traveler and clear the evil from our lands. Guardians! Do you show such disrespect to those who enable you to continue your fight, work to keep you flying, repair your weapons and provide guidance? These merchants, Vanguards, the Future War Cult and Dead Orbit, etc. serve as my eyes and ears in places where I cannot go. Respect them as they respect you. Share the Brotherhood of the Guardians with them, allow them to see further inside your world so they can better help you battle our foes and win the day. Today a message has come to me from The Traveler. Yes, it's spoken! Guardians, prepare yourselves! People of the Tower prepare yourselves! Twelve hours ago a dreadnought appeared in our solar system. Oryx comes to revenge the death of his son! Arise, Guardians! Arise!


End file.
